Even though the weather's a bit ropy at the moment, we’d rather be outside than cooped up in a stuffy office. Here, TNT chats to professionals living the high life ...

Helicopter pilot

“There’s almost nothing better than being in command of a flying machine – especially when happy passengers are paying you for the privilege,” smiles Aussie pilot Chris Mann, MD of The London Helicopter, which offers sightseeing tours over London as well as charter flights. 

It’s an expensive career choice as you will need to get your private and commercial pilot licences before you can apply, however you can earn £40k+ once trained. Mann worked as an instructor before “twisting the arm” of a charter operator to let him work in the office in return for flying experience. Now a chopper company MD and having flown the Beckhams to the Grand Prix, you can see where a bit of arm-twisting can get you.

You missed a spot: cleaning Lloyd's HQ

High-rise window cleaner

Ever wanted to abseil down one of London’s tallest buildings? Become a high-rise window cleaner and that’s basically what you do every day, but with a squeegee in your hand. 

“I love being up high over London on a summer’s day,” says Kyriacos Theodorous, who is an on-site cleaner at the 88m Lloyds of London HQ in Lime Street. 

High-rise window cleaners need intense safety training, including how to work safely at height – by not falling or dropping anything – avoiding back or muscle problems, working in cradles and cherry pickers as well as abseiling. The good news is that your company will put you through the training needed, so your beginner’s salary of £25k can stay in your pocket.

Plus, although serious, the training can be great fun. “For my abseil course I went to the Lake District and we had to climb around chimneys and practice rescues,” says the 29-year-old, who is employed by Principle Cleaning Services. “That was the hardest but also the best experience.”